Manga at Versailles: the Murakami exhibition

This fall, starting September 14, it will be the turn of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to exhibit there. Mr. Murakami’s art, with which I was not heretofore familiar, is strongly influenced by manga and anime.

Thought-provoking and provocative, the show has already stirred much controversy. But, as one commenter noted, Marie-Antoinette herself was not adverse to colorful, flowery patterns, as evidenced by the silk hangings she ordered for the Queen’s Bedchamber.

As for Jean-Jacques Aillagon, President of the Château de Versailles, he told Agence France Presse: “They want to turn Versailles into a relic case of nostalgia for Ancien Régime France, a France enclosed onto itself and hostile to modernity.” They, however, remain unpersuaded and plan a demonstration at Versailles on September 14, opening day of the show.

I will go visit one of these days, and duly report my impressions here…

Murakami´s work is gorgeous. The Versailles art is gorgeous too. I think it is an interesting mix of contemporary and baroque, because that’s what we all are nowadays… not “historically corect” and neither “totally contemporary”. Plus the point of Murakami’s work at Versailles is NOT using a place like the Pompadour Centre! Don’t you think there are tons of places like that in Tokyo?
I believe we should just be open to the chances of approach art in different ways, the mixes of places and situations… Thing to which Murakami Takashi is an expert (remember his revamped Louis Vuitton bags? The ones that now are the most sold ever?)

please disregard previous post. I have mixed feelings about this as a room, maybe without that centerpiece it would work or maybe if they just stick to originals I do not know why they have to have all these other artists displaying things that seem to clash but then again I am not there and my computer crashed several times trying to look at this before.

It is gorgeous. Makes any of my bedrooms from dorm life to adult life look so paltry in comparison and I love colors too. I have been collecting some of the artwork from this blog and it pales in comparison to this room. I would be too distracted to sleep even after years I would still be staring at the art.

This is truly disappointing for me to hear as I was at Versailles for the Jeff Koons display which was to be kind…bizaare! Now I am going to Paris again and will go back to Versailles only to see another artist attempting to impose his strange works on a visiting public who would be quite satisfied with all the original beauty that Versailles has to offer. To see this in person is like walking into the White House and having a statue of Porky Pig greet you!

Yes, Jen, Pompidou would have been a great setting. Even Versailles itself has plenty of exhibition space outside the Grands Appartements. But then you don’t get the shock value… or the exposure either. The Koons show set a precedent.

Takashi Murakami’s work looks incredibly interesting, but wouldn’t it be better at the Centre Pompidou, where it would fit in with the existing collections? This just looks so wrong in that space and detracts from an already beautiful room with plenty to admire artistically.

The Sun king has rolled over in his grave but once again. First it was the revolution, (which he would never have allowed), then it was the Ogre, next the boche annoouncing the empire, The abomnible treaty after the great war, and now comic book art in the most magnificent masterpiece on earth. When, Oh lord will it end. Richard

Certainly the wisdom of exhibiting contemporary art in the Grands Appartements is questionable. Interesting to note that exhibitions of 18th century artifacts (the wonderful Court Costume show, for instance) are not held there, but in a dedicated space…